The Trial of Nica Pierce
by PotCFan101
Summary: Days after Nica Pierce's family is murdered, she is placed in police custody until her trial begins. It seems all evidence points towards her, until someone she's only heard about takes the case and becomes her lawyer. That someone is Andy Barclay, and he knows Nica didn't kill her family. They both know it was the work of a certain Good Guy doll, but will they be able to prove it?
1. Public Defender

Nica Pierce stared at the table, watching her reflection in the metal. Just one day ago, she had been arrested on the assumption that she murdered her entire family, and was taken away without so much a second thought. Already the media had dubbed the incident the "Pierce Family Massacre", with people speculating that Nica was insane. The officer on the scene, a young man named Stanton, refused to see her side of the story, believing Nica was a murderer. But Nica knew the truth. She saw what happened that night. Somehow, her family was butchered by a three foot Good Guy doll named Chucky. Even now, she could hear the doll's cruel laugh, as he explained that he was in fact Charles Lee Ray, coming back into the Pierce's lives after twenty five years.

"Miss Pierce!"

Nica looked up, seeing that the police captain had entered the interrogation room. The man looked decades older, sporting a salt and pepper colored beard, with the hair to match, and always had a stern look in his eyes.

"You don't look very dangerous." the cop told her, sitting across from her at the cold table. "Much less able to murder five people. But then again, looks can be deceiving."

"Why are you interrogating me now?" Nica asked. "Why not last night?"

"No one else was around, so Stanton had to put you in the cell for the night." the officer told her. "My apologies. But his report here says that you murdered five people." The man raised a file, before dropping it on the table with a small thud.

"Wasn't me." Nica declared flatly.

"Heard that before." the captain sighed. "Here's a new one though: Stanton told me you blamed it all on a doll you received the other day."

"That's because it was the doll." Nica said. "I know it sounds crazy-"

"Crazy?" the officer repeated, leaning forward. "It's god damn insane. That doll- as ruined and freaky as it is- is not alive. It can't walk. It can't talk. And it certainly can't kill five people!"

"Why do you keep saying five?" Nica asked, confused.

"You didn't hear?" the cop told Pierce, eyebrows raised. "A priest, one that Stanton identified as his sponsor, was found in a car crash, apparently leaving your home."

"Father Frank?" Nica asked, her eyes widening slightly.

"The coroners took a look at his body last night, Miss Pierce." the cop continued. "They found that there was rat poison in his bloodstream. Now, how do you think that got in there?"

"Are you really saying I did it?" Pierce asked, shocked at what she was hearing.

"It's the only possible explanation." the captain told her. "There was no sign of forced entry or break in. You were the only one there. Two sets of fingerprints were on all the murder weapons. One was yours."

"Who's the other one?" Nica asked, curious.

"It doesn't matter." the officer waved it off. "The second set belong to a dead man-" Suddenly, the door opened, and a man looking at least five years older than Nica walked in. The man wore an all black suit, had his hair cut short, and sported a brown beard, in contrast to the police captain's graying one.

"Nica Pierce, you can stop talking now." the man announced.

"And who the Hell are you?" the captain asked.

"I'm her attorney." the man stated, matter of factly.

"So who are you?" Nica asked, giving the man a weird look.

"My name is Andy Barclay." the attorney introduced himself. "I'm here to help you."

Nica sat in her wheelchair, dumbstruck in surprise. Andy Barclay? _The_ Andy Barclay, the one she read about recently?

"Can I speak to my client?" Andy asked the police captain. "Alone?" The captain gave the attorney a dirty look, but standing up.

"Sure." the officer grumbled, getting up to leave the interrogation room. Once the door made an audible slam, Andy sat down, looking Nica in the eye.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Pierce." Barclay said.

"You too." Nica replied. "Wait, how do you know about me?"

"News gets around quickly these days." Andy shrugged. "Had to take a two hour flight from Chicago to get here."

"How much do you know?" Nica asked, folding her arms and cocking an eyebrow up.

"That you're being charged with five accounts of murder. Four of them are in the first degree." Andy pulled notes out of his suit and read off.

"I didn't do it." Nica said adamantly.

"Evidence says you did." Andy mused. "Your prints were found on all murder weapons."

"You don't believe I did it, do you?" Nica asked, nervous.

"Of course not." Andy waved the statement off. "I pieced together that the doll was there. But that's what happens all the time. Chucky doesn't leave evidence, because he's not completely human."

"The police mentioned there were two sets of prints on the weapons." Nica remembered. "One was mine, and the other…"

"Chucky's." Andy realized. "If we can get them to identify the prints as Charles Lee Ray's, we can use that."

"Do you need anything else?" Nica asked.

"Yes, I need you to tell me exactly what happened last night." Andy requested. "That way, I can build a case for you." Nica sighed, taking a deep breath, and she began recounting the events of the past couple days.


	2. Interrogation

"...and that's when Officer Stanton broke the door down and arrested me." Nica finished. "After that, I was taken into custody, and the medical examiner at the department looked me over."

"If I hadn't suffered at the hands of Chucky like you did, I would've called you insane." Andy mused. "I am thinking of one way this could work…"

"What's that?" Nica asked, eager to clear her name.

"That you take a polygraph." Andy answered. "Tell them your story, and prove you're not lying."

"Aren't polygraphs not entirely accurate?" Nica pointed out.

"Got a better idea?" Andy asked.

"I do, actually." Nica revealed. "Ian stuffed a nanny cam in the doll's pocket. It captured footage of the entire night."

"That could be our smoking gun." Andy smiled thoughtfully. "Wait here, I'll speak with the captain about looking at the evidence." Andy smirked, standing up and walking out of the interrogation room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

"Not that I have a choice." Nica muttered, staring at her cuffs.

Barclay stepped out of the interrogation room, finding the police captain and presumably the district attorney waiting for him.

"My client has agreed to take a polygraph to prove her innocence." Andy announced. Before either the DA or captain spoke a word, he added, "And we also have our own evidence on our side."

"Which is?" the DA asked.

"On one of the laptops is footage on the night of the murders." Andy explained. "They detail that Miss Pierce did not kill her family."

"Hold your horses, Barclay." the captain said gruffly.

"Listen, Captain-" Andy looked down at the man's uniform, squinting to see the printed name. "-Moran, my client is innocent!"

"You really believe that?" the DA chuckled. "You're going through a lot of trouble to prove she didn't do it. Must really need that paycheck."

"Well, don't worry. I'm doing this pro-bono." Andy spat. As soon as he said it, he cursed himself, knowing full well the statement could come back and bite him in the ass later.

"Eh, fine." the DA grumbled. "We'll make sure she's hooked up to a lie detector."

"And the laptop?" Barclay asked.

"On my way to get it now." Officer Moran grumbled, walking towards the evidence room.

Fifteen minutes later, Nica found herself being attached to a polygraph in the same interrogation room. Directly in front of her were Captain Moran and the polygraph's analyst.

"Is your name Nica Pierce?" the captain began, testing the detector.

"Yes." Nica answered quickly.

"Were you born on November 10th, 1988, in Chicago, Illinois?"

"Yes." Out of the corner of her eye, Nica almost noticed Andy shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"Is your hair red?"

"No."

"Did you kill your sister?"

"No. I didn't."

"Did you kill her husband?"

"No."

"Did you kill anyone?"

"I didn't. It was Chucky." Nica looked at Moran, who furrowed his brow in frustration.

"Tell me about your mother, Sarah Pierce." Moran ordered. "You thought she committed suicide, correct?"

"Yes." Nica told him. "I woke up in the middle of the night. I heard her scream, and I found her with her hands holding onto a pair of scissors lodged in her stomach."

"You heard her scream, but then she stabbed herself with a pair of scissors." the captain said plainly. "Why would she do that?"

"I said I thought she did." Nica pointed out. "Now, I believe that she screamed before Chucky killed her."

"What do you know about Chucky?" Moran asked, folding his hands and looking right through Pierce. Nica looked back at Andy, then at the captain, before taking a deep breath.

"He was originally Charles Lee Ray, the Lakeshore Strangler." Nica answered. "On November 9th, 1988, he kidnapped my mother because he claimed he was in love with her. When she rejected him, he stabbed her in the stomach, attempting to kill me. The cops chased him into a nearby toy store, gunning him down, but not before Ray transferred his soul into a Good Guy doll. Since then, there have been reports of multiple murders across the country, all somehow linked to Chucky." Moran, Barclay, and the analyst sat there in stunned silence for several minutes, while Nica heard the ticking of a clock. Finally, Moran found his voice, and his voice came out in barely a mumble.

"Three of those incidents included Andy Barclay, didn't they?"

"Yes." Nica replied. Once she spoke, the captain no longer opened his mouth.

"Are we done?" Barclay asked, glaring at Moran.

"Yeah, we're done." Moran muttered, getting up and leaving.

"Hang on." the analyst called back. "I'm just eyeballing it, but it looks a hundred percent accurate. No lies." Moran gave a small nod, before he and the analyst left the interrogation room with the data.

"So what now?" Nica asked Andy.

"Now we wait." Barclay answered. "The polygraph was a smart move. At least they know you really believe your story. But…"

"But what?" Nica asked, confused.

"There's a chance they'll rule you insane for believing." Andy warned. "They'll probably order a psychiatric evaluation, maybe even lock you up in an asylum."

"You sound like you've been through this." Nica looked at her lawyer curiously.

"I haven't, but my mother has." Andy said solemnly, inspecting his shoes. "After we got rid of Chucky the first time, my mother defended me all the way through. In the end, the Play Pals toy company had good enough lawyers to send her to an institution for the insane, and the only two cops with us that night lost their jobs."

"I'm sorry." Nica whispered, staring into her hands.

"What's done is done." Andy murmured, writing down his contact information and handing it to Nica. "I can't change what happened. But I can save you from that same fate." With that, Andy turned towards the door, and walked out of the interrogation room, leaving Nica to figure out where to go from there.


	3. Court Orders

While Nica waited in a jail cell for the night, Andy went home to figure out what his next move should be. As he exited the cab and walked towards his motel room, the door opened before he even had a chance to knock.

"You're back late." Andy's wife noted, but smiled nevertheless.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Andy mumbled, setting his files onto the table near the door. "We ended up taking a polygraph, and it took a few hours for her to recall the entire night."

"I don't like where this is taking you." Andy's significant other revealed. "It feels like you're going to become obsessed with this case."

"Kristen, just- just don't." Andy pleaded. "I'm too tired from the flight. I'm still surprised you came with."

"You know I'll always support you, Andy." Kristen assured her husband. "I just don't you to be consumed by this. God knows it nearly did back in Chicago. Now come on, you need some rest." Andy nodded, taking off his suit and followed Kristen towards the bed. The two laid in the bed and shut out the light, where Kristen fell asleep quickly. Andy, on the other hand, waited until he was certain his wife was sleeping, and went back on the floor, pulling out his notes of the case and studied late into the night.

The next morning, Andy woke up on the floor, his hand curled around one of the papers detailing Nica's account of events. With a groan, Barclay slowly stood up, looking around and noticing Kristen wasn't around. Upon further inspection, Andy noticed a piece of yellow note paper on the nightstand, and Barclay quickly skimmed the writing.

 _Had to pick something up at the local store. Left at 8:03, found you on the floor._

 _Love, Kristen._

Andy sighed, checking his watch. 10:38 AM.

"Shit." Andy moaned. He was already late for meeting with Nica. As fast as he could, Andy got another suit on, and he sped out the door, hailing a cab.

"Where to?" the driver asked, belching cigar smoke with every word.

"Police precinct." Andy wheezed out. "And floor it."

Nica sat in the interrogation room, with only the police captain and the district attorney to keep her company.

"Where the Hell is he?" Captain Moran asked, checking his watch. "It's been over half an hour." Nica looked up nervously, watching the clock. 10:41.

"Let's go." the DA grumbled. "He's not coming." Just then, the door was thrown open, and Andy stepped in, sitting down next to Nica.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Barclay murmured. Nica looked at Andy, noticing his face was pale, and his eyes had bags under them.

"We were almost sure you wouldn't come." the DA told him. "But, as we already informed Miss Pierce, the polygraph results are in. She was telling her truth the whole time."

"So clearly, she wasn't making anything up." Andy said.

"I'm not done." the DA growled. "She told her truth. That might not be the truth."

"What the Hell does that mean?" Nica asked.

"It means you are to forego psychiatric evaluation." the DA told the two, handing them a document. "Court order before the trial."

"And when is the trial?" Andy asked.

"Given that the judge doesn't have a lot on his plate at the moment, we were able to fast track the court date to next week." the DA grinned, standing up. "You better be there on time, Barclay." Without another word, the police captain and district attorney left the room, allowing Andy and Nica to converse freely.

"The document's real." Andy muttered. "Dammit! We shouldn't have had you take the polygraph."

"I knew the risks." Nica mumbled, reading the court order. "And I was ready for them."

"You know what they'll do now, right?" Andy asked. "Once you claim the doll's alive, they'll rule you insane."

"Well, that's why I have an attorney, right?" Nica reminded Barclay. "What else can we use?"

"The camera footage." Andy remembered. "Your brother in law stuck a nanny cam in the doll, right?"

"Yeah." Nica confirmed.

"Then that'll be the silver bullet." Andy got up and went to the door. Before he left, he added, "Good luck with the eval." With that, Andy left the interrogation room, looking for the police captain.

Andy walked around the precinct, eventually finding the captain in his office. With nothing to lose, Andy barged in, temporarily surprising Moran.

"Hey!" Andy shouted, gaining the captain's attention.

"What do you want, Barclay?" Moran groaned, lighting a cigarette.

"Those laptops, where are they?" Andy asked hastily.

"In evidence lockup, whaddya think?" Moran snarled. Andy began to push past him, and the cop added, "Hey, where the Hell do you think you're going?"

"Evidence room." Andy answered.

"Hell no." Moran said adamantly. "At the very least, not without an officer."

"Then come with me." Andy insisted. "Look, I know my client is innocent. If what she says is on that laptop is true, then it's surefire that she didn't murder her family." The officer looked up at the ceiling for a few moments, before sighing.

"Ah, what the Hell." the cop mumbled, stamping out his cigarette on the floor. "I don't suppose it could hurt."

"Thank you." Andy grinned, and the two entered the evidence lockup. After rummaging through several lockers, Moran finally found the one that housed the computers specifically.

"Here it is." Moran held up a sleek black laptop. "This should be the one that has the footage."

"Thanks." Andy reached out to grab the computer, but Moran held his arm back.

"Hold up." Moran said. "This was obtained at the crime scene. I can't just let you take it."

"Then can I at least copy it onto a drive?" Andy asked, pulling out a small flash drive. "I need to see what was on there."

"You're playing a dangerous game, Barclay." Moran sneered. "But hey, it's your ass." Moran set the laptop down and opened it, while Andy selected the nanny cam footage from the night of the murder. Once the video came up, Andy created a duplicate, plugged the drive in, and burned the footage onto his flash.

"Alright, done." Andy announced, shutting the laptop and walking towards the exit the lockup. "Once again, thanks."

"Sure, like I said, it's your ass." Moran grumbled, lighting another smoke.

Soon after Andy left the interrogation room, Nica was visited by Officer Stanton and a man with silver hair.

"Let's go, Pierce." Stanton muttered, grabbing Nica's wheelchair and pushing her forward.

"Where are we going?" Nica asked, then looked at the man with silver hair. "And who are you?"

"My name is James Foley." the man introduced himself. "And under court orders, until your trial next week, you are to be under psychiatric evaluation, which will be under my care."

"So where are my 'evaluations' going to be?" Nica asked sarcastically.

"Harrogate Institute." Stanton informed, continuing to push Nica's wheelchair through the precinct.

Hours later, Andy arrived back at the motel. He felt exhausted, but knew that he couldn't go to sleep. Not yet. Not when Nica was counting on him. With a pained expression, Andy entered his motel room, finding Kristen was already asleep. Barclay decided not to wake her, and went straight to his personal computer, firing the laptop up and plugging in the flashdrive. Andy shot a final glance over his shoulder, checking to make sure his wife was fast asleep, before he began playing the footage, detailing what happened the night of the murders.


	4. Psych Eval

Nica groggily woke up her cell- no, _room_ \- at Harrogate Institute. At least, it looked like a room. There was a bed, a mirror, a dresser. There was even another door leading to the bathroom. But it felt nothing more than a cell. Even though it had only been a few days since she was sent to the facility, Harrogate felt like it could be her permanent prison.

Nica was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard someone knocking on her door, signalling her to get up.

"Nica, it's time for another session!" a feminine voice called out.

"Gimme a minute, Ashley." Nica said back, quickly putting her clothes on. Within seconds, Pierce was in her wheelchair, and she opened the door to see the nurse on the other end. "Well? You gonna lend a hand, or do I have to go to Foley's office by myself?"

Doctor Foley read over Nica's file for what felt like the tenth time that day. Each read seemed to confuse him even more. How could a woman confined to a wheelchair be capable of murdering four people without anyone doing anything? How did she come up with the story of the killer doll?

Foley snapped out of his internal monologue, as his office doors opened, revealing Nica being led in by Nurse Ashley.

"Thank you, Ashley. You can leave us." Foley ordered. Ashley nodded, and exited without a word. Once the door closed, the doctor approached his paraplegic patient. "Good Afternoon, Nica."

"Not really." Nica grumbled. "I'm starting to get sick of this shithole."

"Can I ask why?" Foley asked, testing the waters.

"Because I'm not fucking crazy, Doc." Nica snorted. "And since you all think I am, I'm stuck in this place like a sitting goddamned duck."

"What's that mean, Nica?" Foley asked again, but Nica spun her wheelchair around, beginning to look around the room, checking corners, behind curtains, under desks. "Nica, what are you doing?"

"Looking for Chucky to make sure he won't kill me." To say that Nica was paranoid was an understatement. Chucky had murdered her entire family, and Nica was the last member he intended to kill. At least, aside from Alice, but who knew what that doll had planned.

"Nica, Chucky is a fantasy; a delusion." Foley told her. "Look at me. You know what you're saying can't possibly be real, right?"

"But it is." Nica insisted. "I saw him with my own two eyes!" Foley sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, before going to a cabinet and preparing a syringe.

"Listen to me. I'm going to hypnotize you." Foley announced, filling the needle with a clear liquid. "It will help you realize what really happened that night."

"Hypnotizing me will not help." Nica said adamantly. "I saw what I saw." Foley groaned in disappointment, before approaching his patient. Just as he was about to inject her with whatever was in the syringe, Nica's elbow shot up, hitting Foley's arm and redirecting the syringe. Foley growled in frustration, attempting to inject Nica with the drug again, but she used both her arms this time, grabbing the doctor's arm and forcing the syringe to stab him in the right knee. Foley howled in pain, falling to the floor and seething in rage. Seconds later, Nica heard the door open, and she spun around in time to see nurses Ashley and Carlos run in.

"Jesus, what the Hell happened?" Carlos asked.

"She attacked me!" Foley yelled. "Get her out of here!" Without even a look of acknowledgement, Ashley wheeled Nica out quickly. Pierce was able to look back at Foley, who had already gotten up off the floor. As he used one hand to painfully pull the syringe out, he used his other to scribble something down on a medical record. What it was, she wasn't sure, but it couldn't have been good.

That same night, Andy rewatched the nanny cam footage, trying to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything.

" _They'll never find me in here."_ the little girl, whom Nica named was her niece Alice, giggled in the video. " _This is the best game of hide and seek ever!"_

"Andy!" Barclay jumped out of his skin, looking over his shoulder to see his wife sitting up in bed. "Honey, it's one in the morning. You need some sleep."

"Just give me a minute, Kristen." Andy pleaded. "I need to make sure nothing's left out."

"I don't know why you're hellbent on helping this Pierce woman." Kristen scolded, folding her arms. "This case is destroying you."

"I can't believe you of all people don't get it." Andy retorted. "Don't you see? It could've been you on trial. It could have been Tyler, or even Ivers. Hell, I almost was charged with murders when I was younger than her niece, and I spent a day or so in a mental asylum!" Andy got up and took a step towards the bed, making Kristen look up at him.

"My mother was sent to an asylum not long after, you know that." Andy reminded her, and they both heard his voice crack. "She's still locked up. Didn't I ever tell you why I studied to become a lawyer?"

"Not exactly." Kristen admitted. "But I'm guessing it now has to do with this…" Andy nodded, and opened his mouth to speak again.

"I did it because I don't want what happened to Mom to happen to anyone else." Andy continued. "And if I can prove that Chucky is alive, then maybe, I can get her freed." Kristen looked downward, trying to stop her husband from seeing her cry, but it didn't matter. He already knew.

"Look, I'll come to bed." Andy compromised. "I think I've seen enough, and I got word that the police in New Jersey were able to cooperate and exhume Charles Lee Ray's body. They're testing it now." Kristen smiled, falling back asleep on the bed. Andy smirked, wondering how he became so lucky to have a wife, and kissed her forehead, before going back to the laptop and shutting the monitor, enveloping the room in darkness.

The next morning, Andy woke up in bed, his arm over his wife, as well as all the covers being on top of her. Smirking to himself, Andy got up, putting on a new yet identical suit, and got ready for the day.

"Leaving already?" Kristen asked, having woken up as well.

"Yeah. Unless you'd like me to stay for awhile." Andy suggested, with his voice trailing off.

"No. Go help Nica." Kristen shook her head. "And make sure no one suffers like we did." Andy smiled and nodded, before renting a car to drive to the police department.

Sometime later, Andy reached his destination, and as he parked his car, he noticed the police captain and Officer Stanton exiting the building, drinking coffee and munching on a donut.

"Hey!" Andy called out, running up to the two cops. "Ya got a moment?"

"Actually yes." Captain Moran replied, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. "I got a hunch on why you're here."

"If it's about Charles Lee Ray's body being exhumed, then you're right." Andy cut to the chase. "Have the results been recorded?"

"They have." Stanton informed. "The tests match. That body in the Hackensack grave is Charles Lee Ray."

"Which kinda begs the question-" Moran paused, taking a puff from the cigarette. "-how the Hell did his fingerprints get on the murder weapons?"

"I have a theory on that." Andy told them, turning around to walk away. "Just send me a copy of those documents." Before either officer could say anything else, Andy was long gone, having gotten into his borrowed car and driving off.


	5. Docket No 11-08-19-88

Two days later, Andy woke up like he usually did, checking the clock. 7:45 AM. The trial would be starting in about an hour. Andy deeply inhaled, shaking the sleep from his mind, and got up, going to the cabinet and picking out his suit. After rifling through what to wear, Barclay settled on a jacket as black as night, accompanied by a cream shirt and blood red tie, with light blue stripes.

"Morning." Andy turned around, watching Kristen slowly get out of bed. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Andy smirked, putting matching black pants and shoes on. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"I will." Kristen insisted. "You know I'll always stand by you." Andy smiled, closing the distance between the two and kissed his wife. Once he eventually pulled back, Kristen put on her own suit, and the two left for the courthouse.

Andy parked the car a few streets away, seeing that waves of people were crowding the courthouse already.

"Shit." Andy muttered, noticing plenty of news crews on the scene. Most were from local Rhode Island outlets, but what was surprising was that he could've have sworn that national news channels were seen. "The fuck? Is that CNN?"

"And Fox News, and NBC." Kristen added, squinting her eyes. "What the Hell are they doing here?" Andy shook his head in confusion, before going to a news stand and pulling out a paper, which read:

 **Trial of the Century: Paraplegic Murders Five, Says "Chucky Did It!"**

"God dammit." Andy growled, crumpling up the paper and throwing it to the ground. "Let's get this over with."

Andy and Kristen began walking towards the courthouse, and as they began ascending the steps, the two were instantly swarmed by the media.

"Mister Barclay, is it true you're defending Nica Pierce-"

"Mister Barclay, do you believe Pierce's ramblings about a killer doll to be true-"

"Barclay, do you have anything to say about the rumors of your own past-"

"No comment." That was Andy's only response to anything. It was the only thing he could respond with. Before the reporters could ask anything else, Andy and Kristen raced up the steps and through the doors of the courthouse. The moment they entered, Andy found Captain Moran standing in a far corner.

"Officer Moran!" Andy called, striding over to the cop.

"What is it?" Moran asked, bewildered while he lit a cigarette. In a split second, Andy made a decision to shake the man's hand.

"I just want to say, thank you for your help on this case." Andy told him, grabbing the officer's hand that held his lighter once the flame was put out. "I probably couldn't have helped my client without it."

"Don't mistake what I did, I'm not on your side." Moran grumbled, suddenly putting out the cancer stick after a single puff. "I'm on the side of justice."

"And we'll get it, I assure you." Andy replied. "Where's Stanton?"

"He helped wheel Miss Pierce in through the back, to avoid all the paparazzi scumbags." Moran informed the attorney, breaking off the shake. "And shit, I'd better get in there with him. The DA's already in too." Moran hurried inside the courtroom, while Andy looked down, opening his hand to reveal he stole the cop's lighter.

"Andy, what are you going to do?" Kristen asked, skeptical.

"You'll see." Andy grinned, before he and his wife entered the courtroom as well. Andy took a seat at the defense's side, Kristen behind him, while four pieces of evidence were placed on a table as some twisted display in front of the judge's bench. A box of rat poison, a bloodied knife, a hatchet, and a scarred Good Guy doll were all set down, with an alphabetized set of exhibit cards placed in front. Andy glared at the doll, and for the briefest of moments, he thought he saw the doll's lips curl into a sneer.

"All rise. Court is now in session. Judge William McCoy presiding. Docket No. 11-08-19-88, the People vs Nica Pierce." the bailiff announced, while the judge entered from his chambers. Nica Pierce was wheeled in by two of the security guards through the East side entrance, where her chair came to a rest next to Andy. Everyone, except Nica of course, stood up.

"Be seated." McCoy ordered, and everyone sat back in their chairs. Andy took a look around the courtroom, seeing that Captain Moran and Officer Stanton were sitting on nearly the opposite end of himself and Nica, with the prosecutor, who was also the District Attorney, mere feet away. Next Andy glanced over towards the jurors on the left. Only yesterday did they pick out suitable jurors, but it was a nightmare, for nearly everyone believed that Nica killed her family. Finally, Barclay looked at the judge. Will McCoy appeared to be at least twice Andy's age, with pure white hair combed over his head, and a beard to match.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant has been accused of multiple serious crimes." Judge McCoy began. The bailiff handed the judge some papers, presumably Doctor Foley's report. "All are murder charges. But I am instructing you all to wait on your conclusions until all the evidence is shown. As always, the defendant will be innocent until proven guilty. Before we begin, let the record show that Doctor Edward Foley's personal notes suggest that Miss Pierce has violent tendencies, as well as showing symptoms of schizophrenia. Mister Olsen, are the People ready for an opening statement?"

"Absolutely." the DA answered, and who stood up to address the jury. "Ladies and gentlemen, before us today is an unusual case. The defendant has been charged with multiple homicides, half of which are her own flesh and blood. What arguably makes this more odd is that all this was done by a woman who was paralyzed from the waist down." The prosecutor paused, throwing a glance at Nica and Andy, while the courtroom erupted in soft whispers.

"But looks can be deceiving." Olsen continued. "Nica Pierce could have very easily murdered her family. At the very least, it is more believable than the ramblings of a children's toy coming to life and taking an ax to someone's face. There is proof beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Nica Pierce is guilty." The DA smirked and walked back over to his seat.

"Mr Barclay, are you ready for your opening statement?" McCoy asked. Andy looked up nervously, then back at his notes.

"Yes. I am." Andy answered, trying to sound as confident as possible. Within seconds, Barclay stood up and addressed the jurors. "Before this all starts, I'm going to ask you all something. I need you to believe in the unbelievable, the impossible. I know, that in this courtroom, we all listen to reason, and facts, and the fact is, Nica Pierce did not murder her family. Even if logic and reason dictates that she does, Miss Pierce didn't do it. She loved her family with all her heart, and she was terrified and devastated when they were unfairly taken from her. All I'm asking you, the jury, is to keep an open mind today." Andy sighed, before going back to sit next to Nica.


	6. First Witness

"Is the prosecution ready for their first witness?" McCoy asked.

"Certainly." Olsen replied. "The People call on Adam Stanton." Andy looked to the far right, seeing Officer Stanton get up and walk towards the witness stand. Once he reached the stand, the judge made him swear.

"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Judge McCoy asked.

"I swear." Stanton replied, holding up his hand, before sitting down.

"State your name for the record."

"Adam Stanton."

"Officer Stanton, can you tell us, in your own words, what you saw on January 3rd, 2013?" the DA asked. Stanton took a deep breath, straightened himself, and began to recount what he believed was a massacre.

"I was out on patrol that night, when I had received a call that there was a car crash down the road." Stanton recalled. "When I arrived on the scene, I instantly recognized one of the men as being Father Frank Matthews. His head was trapped between two pieces of metal, but when I tried pulling them away, his head fell off." Stanton stopped, rubbing his temples for a moment, while some of the jurors gasped.

"By around midnight, I was called on my dispatch, being told that Frank was last seen at the Pierce residence." Stanton continued. "I headed back to ask the family questions, but once I showed up, I heard screaming inside. I busted the door down, only to find the defendant holding a knife in the home's lift. She was still screaming for help, but as I looked around, I found a second woman, the defendant's sister, laying on the stairs with her eye gouged out. That was when I decided to arrest her. The other officers found her niece locked in the closet later."

"The coroner's report stated there was rat poison in Frank Matthew's blood." Olsen pointed out. "Would that be the same rat poison sitting on the table?"

"Of course." Stanton confirmed. "Looking closely, forensics found bits of the rat poison on the kitchen counter."

"And the other pieces of evidence?" Olsen asked. "Reports say her fingerprints were found on everything."

"All except the rat poison." Stanton confirmed.

"No further questions." Olsen smirked, before returning to his seat.

"Your witness, Mister Barclay." McCoy told Andy.

"Thank you, your honor." Andy replied, before getting up and walking towards the witness stand.

"Officer Stanton, you said yourself that you arrived at the Pierce home after the murders were committed, correct?" Andy asked.

"Yep." Stanton admitted.

"And you testified that you heard someone scream before you barged into the house, yes?" Andy continued.

"I did." Stanton answered.

"If everyone was already dead, why would she scream?" Andy asked.

"Objection!" the prosecutor shouted. "Leading the witness!"

"Overruled." McCoy declared loudly. "You may continue."

"Thank you, your honor." Andy said, before turning back to Stanton. "Maybe she was defending herself against someone- something."

"I doubt that." Stanton shook his head. "She was probably just putting on a show." Andy looked at the officer like he couldn't believe him, and asked another question.

"You mentioned that the defendant's fingerprints were found on the hatchet, the ax, and the doll, but not the rat poison." Andy counted off. "Why is that?"

"Who knows?" Stanton shrugged. "It was in the kitchen, so maybe she was wearing an oven mitt."

"Really, then why not wear something when touching the other pieces of evidence?" Andy asked. "And neither you, nor the DA, mentioned that another set of prints were found on rat poison, and everything else."

"Yeah, they were the prints of a dead man's." Stanton mumbled.

"Then why in God's name would the prints of Charles Lee Ray be found anywhere, let alone on all four parts of evidence?" Andy asked, going back to the defendant's table and grabbing a folder. "According to this, forensics from the Hackensack police department in New Jersey exhumed the grave of Charles Lee Ray, also known as the Lakeshore Strangler, and the DNA matched."

"Objection!" the DA shouted again. "Relevance!"

"Overruled!" the judge repeated.

"This is relevant to the case, because if Charles Lee Ray has indeed been dead for over thirty years, then how did his fingerprints end up on a knife and hatchet?!" Andy nearly yelled. Stanton glared at Barclay, then at Nica.

"I don't know how those prints got on there." Stanton hissed out. "I just know that Nica Pierce is guilty as sin." Andy looked at the police officer in disappointment, before sighing.

"No further questions, your honor." Andy muttered, and walked slowly back to his seat. Nica was looking up at him sadly.

"What do we do?" Nica asked. "Stanton is dead set that I killed my family."

"We need more time." Andy realized. Before the judge could call on anyone else, Barclay said, "Your honor, the defense requests a recess."

"Accepted." McCoy announced. "Court will resume within one hour." The judge banged his gavel, and everyone got up and left the courtroom. While the prosecutor stayed and reviewed his notes, Andy and Nica went to a private room outside of the courthouse. It was only after they both entered the room, when Andy shut the door behind them.

"So, how bad of a start is this?" Nica asked.

"Honestly, not that bad." Andy told her. "I've been thinking on our next move: you should take the stand."

"Wait, why?" Nica asked.

"To give your side of the story." Andy explained. "The jury needs to hear what happened from your perspective. Just remember, don't leave out any details."

"And what if those details make me look insane?" Nica asked, nervous.

"Don't worry, I have a 'contingency' for that, should I need it." Andy smirked. "Ready?"

"No." Nica admitted. "But let's go." Andy nodded, and the two left the room to rejoin the courtroom.


	7. Jury Rigged

"Please state your name for the record."

"Nica Pierce." The jurors began talking amongst themselves, surprised that Pierce herself was taking the stand.

"Order!" The judge shouted, cracking his gavel. Andy stood up, straightened his suit, and walked towards the witness stand.

"Nica Pierce, in your own words, what do you remember happened on January 3rd, 2013?" Barclay asked. Without missing a beat, Nica began recounting the events from her perspective.

"The murders actually started a day earlier, when my mother and I received a Good Guy doll in the mail." Nica told the attorney. "I thought it was just a joke, so my mom threw the thing away. That night, I heard her scream, but I was too late, because the next time I saw my mom, she was lying on the floor, with a pair of scissors in her stomach. I called the police right when I saw the blood, and I spent all night telling the police what had happened."

"And what did happen?" Andy asked.

"I thought it was a suicide at the time." Nica said. "But it didn't make sense. She was getting better, happier than I've seen her in a long time. She was even painting again."

"I see." Andy mused, staring at the doll for a second. "The following morning, your family arrived to grieve with you, correct?"

"Yes." Nica confirmed. "Barb's friend, Father Frank, was there as well."

"For the record, Barb is your sister, right?"

"Yes. Her husband, Ian, their daughter Alice, and the nanny Jill came along too." Nica added. "I was going to give Alice the doll, but when I looked back to where it was, which should have been on the rocking chair, there was nothing. While Frank and Barb began speaking to me about going to an assisted living home, Alice left to use the restroom, and that's apparently where she found Chucky."

"Assisted living home." Andy repeated. "How did you react to that suggestion?"

"I quickly jumped to conclusion that Barb wanted to sell the house, and she confirmed as much." Nica replied. "She told me that the place Ian worked at, Print Media, was dead, and Alice was going to have to go to public school, even though they had Jill as a nanny. Before we could go into any more detail, Alice, Jill, and Ian came back with the Chucky doll. Soon after, Alice and I began to make dinner for everyone. Nothing out of the ordinary happened."

"Miss Pierce, did you know that Father Frank died from a car crash that night?" Andy asked.

"I didn't." Nica denied. "I found out after I was arrested. But after he had left because he was feeling ill, we all began watching a home video of a barbeque. At that time, Barb was around five years old, and Mom was still pregnant with me. We also saw a neighbor who was Charles Lee Ray in the video."

"And did you know that it was Charles at the time?" Andy asked. Nica shook her head.

"No, I found out later." Nica explained. "During the video, Alice said that her doll went missing, so Jill and I went looking for him. I ended up finding him sitting next to Ian, and after the doll and Ian spoke with each other, I took it up through the lift. Halfway up, the power went out for a few moments. Once the lights came back on, the doll had its head turned around, and it began laughing at me. I finally got out of the lift and gave Chucky back to Alice, and she and Barb noticed I was bleeding at the knee."

"How come you didn't notice it?" Andy asked.

"Because I'm completely paralyzed from the waist down." Nica told her lawyer. "I can't feel a thing. While Barb went to tuck Alice in bed, I went back down to call the post office about the doll. Because of the storm that night, the line went dead fast, but the person on the other end told me the doll that was sent seemed to come from police lockup. It was at the point I knew something was up, so I looked up _Chucky Doll Evidence_ on the nearest computer. I ended up learning that Chucky was connected to Charles Lee Ray, and realized he was the neighbor in the video, along with…" Nica's voice trailed off, and she looked to the side.

"Along with what?" Andy asked, his eyes boring into her. "You're still under oath, Miss Pierce." Nica looked up, and stared Barclay directly in the face.

"I found out about you." Nica answered. "How you had received a doll on your birthday in 1988, and were at the center of three different murder cases, all in Chicago."

"Oh." Andy looked down, swallowing hard, before continuing. "I see. What did you do next?"

"I went to warn Barb, but we had an argument." Nica continued. "She thought I was out to get her, and went to look for Alice, who was missing. The power had run out from the lift again, so I had to force myself up the stairs on my own. When I finally got upstairs, the last time I saw my sister, she had one eye missing, and tumbling down the attic's stairs. Chucky followed soon after, and I quickly got a spare wheelchair and went to Alice's room, only to find her gone and Jill was dead, electrocuted to death. Ian was sleeping, so I had to wake him up, where he found out everyone else was dead. Ian wheeled me into the garage while he went to search for Alice. Once Ian left, Chucky entered the garage, and attempted to poison me with the carbon monoxide from the car. I grabbed a hatchet in the corner and destroyed the car's windows, but the doll swallowed the keys so I couldn't turn off the engine. Ian came back in that moment, and because I was holding the hatchet, he believed I killed Barb and Jill. I began having a heart attack from all the stress, and I passed out."

"I'm assuming that your brother in law didn't believe you about the doll?" Andy presumed.

"Of course not." Nica groaned. "He said that he could prove it by showing video footage on his laptop. Apparently he had hidden a nanny cam in the doll, and began running through the entire night, where he found that it was Chucky who locked Alice in the closet. Ian switched over to live footage, but was too late when Chucky pushed my wheelchair into him. The last thing he saw was Chucky over him, swinging the ax down on his jaw as he screamed. Then he turned the ax towards me, and I had just enough time to redirect the ax at my legs."

"The medical reports said that you had cuts on both legs, one deeper than the other, and a slash on your forehead." Andy went back to the defendant's table and handed the judge another set of notes. "You're testifying they were not self inflicted?"

"Absolutely not." Nica nearly snapped, but remembered that Andy was on her side. "I read that police can tell by the angle if the wounds were self inflicted or not. It wasn't me. After I had wrestled the ax away from Chucky, I cut off his head and thought it was over, so I want to patch up my leg. I didn't hear him get back up and reattach his head, and the next thing I knew, my wheelchair was forced off the balcony, where the cut reopened, and the chair was destroyed. Chucky then walked down the stairs, confirming that he was Charles Lee Ray, and explained he was after my family because in a way, my mother was the reason why he has been trapped in the doll."

"Could you elaborate on what exactly he said?" Andy asked, personally curious.

"He told me that he was in love with my mom, but she rejected him." Nica told him. "Charles kidnapped her one night, and she somehow was able to call the police. Before Charles escaped, he stabbed my mother in the stomach in an attempt to kill me, but it left me paralyzed. Soon after, he was chased and gunned down in a toy store, but survived by placing his soul into that of a Good Guy doll."

"Objection!" the prosecutor suddenly yelled. "This is all hearsay, and simply put, a ridiculous fantasy!"

"Your honor, I am simply trying to get the defendant's side of the story out." Andy quickly pleaded.

"Overruled." McCoy grumbled. "I'll allow it for now."

"Miss Pierce, can you tell us what happened next?" Andy asked.

"Chucky was going to go in for the kill, but I stalled him long enough until the power came back on." Nica continued. "I made for the lift, but Chucky followed me, and we nearly killed each other, when Officer Stanton came in. The moment he saw Barb's corpse, he turned the gun on me, and I was arrested."

"And this was all on the same night?" Andy asked. "You had no idea that Chucky was Charles Lee Ray, or about me, or anything?"

"No." Nica said. "I looked it all up on a computer."

"Nothing further." Andy smiled and went back to his seat. Right as Chucky sat down, the prosecutor stood up.

"Nica Pierce." Olsen addressed the witness. "You mentioned several times that you and your sister argued. How could you describe her relationship with her?"

"We've had our disagreements here and there." Nica answered truthfully. "But they were just arguments."

"Are you sure?" Olsen asked. "They never pushed you over the edge to, say, kill them all?"

"No!" Nica exclaimed. "We argued like normal siblings would. I would never even think on murdering my own family."

"Maybe not thinking rationally, but as the psychiatric report said…" Olsen stopped mid sentence, and decided to change the subject. "You keep saying 'Chucky did it' Miss Pierce. We've all heard that story before. Your attorney's own mother said the same thing. Do you know where she is now?"

"Objection!" Andy shouted, standing up in anger. "Relevance!"

"This is relevant so the defendant is clear where she'll end up if she is found guilty." the DA snapped.

"Overruled." McCoy sighed. "Continue."

"Karen Barclay has been in an asylum for the past thirty years." Olsen explained. "She's still there now. Now, if you do not tell us what really happened that night, you could end up in an asylum just like her."

"Objection!" Andy shouted again. "Prosecutor is pressing the defendant into self incrimination."

"Sustained!" Nica looked up, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't care what you think I did." Nica told the DA, trying to sound as confident as possible. "I saw what I saw. Nothing will change that." the DA glared back at Pierce, before turning around.

"Nothing further." Olsen muttered, and sat back in his seat. Nica was wheeled back to the defendant's table, where she and Andy began discussing their next move.

"Great, they're not budging." Nica groaned. "Even though we have Ray's prints."

"Well, which is more believable?" Andy reasoned. "You murdering your family, or the doll?"

"So what can we do?" Nica asked, afraid she'd spend the rest of her life in a mental institution.

"Well, I have the footage you mentioned in your testimony." Andy brought up, revealing the flash drive. "Not entirely sure if we can use it though."

"Mister Olsen, are you ready for your next witness?" McCoy asked.

"More than ready." Olsen replied. "The people call Alice Pierce."

"What?" Nica whispered, her eyes widening. Andy and Nica looked behind them, seeing Alice get up and walk to the witness stand. "Why's she testifying?"

"She must think that you murdered her parents." Andy realized, placing a hand over his head. "Jesus…" Alice sat in the witness stand, and the judge began to address the witness.

"State your name for the record…"


	8. Tables Turning

"The morning after Grandma died, Mommy, Daddy, Jill, Father Frank and I went right over to Aunty Nica's." Alice told the jury her version of events. "While Aunty Nica began talking with Mommy, I went to bathroom. I didn't hear what they were talking about, but once I was finished, I found Chucky."

"Could you clarify to the jury who 'Chucky' is?" Olsen asked, ever the skeptic.

"Chucky's my friend till the end." Alice said proudly, pointing to the doll on the evidence table. "After I found him, Aunty Nica and I began preparing dinner for everyone. We made chili with oregano."

"Alice, did Father Frank have dinner with you and the family?" Olsen asked.

"Yeah, but he left early for some reason. Maybe it was the oregano." Alice frowned. "After we finished dinner, I couldn't find Chucky, so Jill helped me."

"I apologize for not asking earlier, but for the record, who is Jill?" Olsen asked.

"Jill was my nanny." Alice smiled. "But Aunty Nica found Chucky and gave him back to me before I went to bed. The last time I saw Mommy, she was tucking me in, and told me to recite my prayers, so I did for everyone except Chucky."

"How come you didn't pray for… Chucky?" Olsen asked, mentally facepalming himself for playing along with the charade.

"Because Chucky told me that there is no god." Alice replied. A few murmurs and gasps could be heard from the jurors.

"Could you repeat who said that?" Olsen asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"Chucky said it." Alice told the prosecutor. "He also said that life's a bitch, and then you die, bleeding like a stuck pig." At this point, the jury's gasps were even louder, and the judge had to swing the gavel to call them to order.

"Did 'Chucky' say anything else?" the DA asked, clearing his throat and still not believing what the witness was saying.

"Yeah, when I told him I was scared from the storm." Alice added. "He said… he said…"

"What did 'he' say?" Olsen asked. "You're still under oath."

"He told me 'You fucking should be'." Alice answered, shrinking in her seat. This time, no one uttered a sound, but the jury's, and everyone else's, eyes grew to the size of dinner plates."

"Are you certain it wasn't your parents who said any of this?" Olsen asked, trying to be certain. "It wasn't your nanny, or your aunt?"

"No, it was Chucky." Alice insisted. The prosecutor closed his eyes for a few seconds, pinching the bridge of his nose, before taking a deep breath and speaking again.

"Where were you when your mother and father were murdered?" Olsen asked, attempting to change the subject.

"I was playing hide and seek in the closet." Alice said. "Chucky told me to wait there, before he shut the door."

"You're saying 'Chucky' locked you in the closet?" Olsen asked, partially groaning. "And you're positive it wasn't your aunt?"

"No, Chucky did it." Alice repeated. "I didn't see Aunty Nica kill Mommy and Daddy, but Chucky wouldn't, because he's my friend. I hid for a long time, before a police officer found me and took me away."

"One more question." Olsen decided. "How would you describe your relationship with your aunt?"

"Aunty Nica was always protective of me." Alice said truthfully. "I loved her as much as I loved Mommy and Daddy. But I heard that Aunty Nica killed them."

"No further questions, your honor." The DA walked back to his seat, while Andy looked over at Nica. Even with her head buried in her hands, he could tell she was trying to stifle sobs.

"Your witness, Mister Barclay." Judge McCoy announced. Andy nodded in thanks, and he got up and walked towards the witness stand.

"Alice Pierce- can I call you Alice?" Andy asked. Alice looked up, as if in thinking, before nodding. "Anyway, Alice, how old are you?"

"I'm Nine." Alice smiled.

"And you know the difference between imaginary friends and living friends, right?" Andy pressed.

"Objection!" Olsen shouted. "Leading the witness. I don't know where."

"Overruled." McCoy rolled his eyes, nevertheless, allowed Andy to keep questioning. "Continue."

"Yes, I do." Alice answered. "I once had a stuffed Simba from the Lion King, and I used to pretend he could talk."

"So by that logic, whenever you say Chucky told you something, do you mean that you are pretending that he's talking?" Andy asked. To Andy's suspicious, the girl shook her head.

"No, Chucky did talk to me." Alice insisted. "He told me his real name is Charles Lee Ray, and that he was sent down from Heaven by Grandma to play with me." Andy suddenly felt a queasy feeling in his stomach, but he tried to keep it in.

"Could you repeat that last bit?" Andy asked, his face becoming pale.

"He told me that Grandma sent him from Heaven to play with me." Alice repeated.

"I thought you said he told you there was no god." Andy reminded her, and he was now confused.

"He said that later." Alice told Barclay. Andy looked back at Nica, then at the judge, and made a split decision that it was now or never with what he was going to say.

"Let me tell you something, Alice." Andy announced. "Chucky told me something similar when I was your age. No more than an hour after he spoke, he murdered my mother's best friend. I know he might seem like your friend, but he's not."

"But Chucky's my friend till the end…" Alice began crying. Andy heaved a sad sigh, before uttering, "No further questions", and walked back to to his chair next to Nica. Once Alice went back to sit next to her other grandmother, the judge spoke.

"Mister Barclay, this is becoming ridiculous." McCoy declared. "If you do not have substantial evidence, Nica Pierce will be persecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

"May I request a short recess?" Andy asked, attempting not to throw up in his mouth. Nobody, not even Andy or Nica, noticed the edges of the doll's mouth twitching in a slight grin, satisfied at seeing Andy in an uncomfortable position.

"I'll allow it." McCoy muttered, but everyone could tell he was grinding his teeth. "But I am growing tired of your shenanigans, Mister Barclay. Recess will last for ten minutes, no more." The second the gavel banged on the wood, Andy got up and quickly left for the nearest bathroom, where he threw open a stall door and regurgitated what was left of the oatmeal he had for breakfast into the closest toilet. Andy wretched in disgust, slamming his hand against the stall, and turned to the sink, breathing heavily. Knowing he had to clean up, Barclay turned the water on, quickly washing his hands and wiping whatever crap was on his face, but the disgust was still plastered on his face. He still couldn't believe that damned doll had fooled the poor girl, just like Andy was when he was a child. After taking one final breath, Andy straightened up, wore a smile that masked his other emotions, and exited the bathroom, preparing for what would inevitably come next during the trial.

"Order! Order. Mister Barclay, do you have anything else to contribute?" Judge McCoy asked, once Andy sat down next to Nica.

"Your honor, we have new evidence to present." Andy announced, standing up. "The footage that Miss Pierce mentioned in her testimony." Andy reached into his suit pocket, pulling out the flash drive and showing it to the court.

"How do we know that you didn't tamper with it?" Olsen asked.

"I'm a lawyer, not a video editor." Andy pointed out. "The original video is on one of the laptops, but I'd imagine that it's destroyed by now."

"You're right." Captain Moran spoke up, eyebrow raised. "All three computers were smashed this morning. But last night, they were in perfect condition, even though no one was at the station. How'd you know that?"

"Call it a hunch." Andy muttered, but he knew exactly what happened.

"I'll have to think on this." McCoy decided, taking the flash drive. "The rest of you, court is now in lunch recess. Trial will resume within two hours." With a crack of the gavel, everyone dispersed out of the courtroom, including the judge. While the judge went to his chambers and Nica was wheeled into a cell, Andy and Kristen went outside, temporarily leaving to get a bite and to discuss what he should do next.

Two hours later, everyone gathered back into the courtroom, ready to start the trial back up. Andy went back to his seat, while Nica was wheeled next to him. Already, he was starting to have seconds thoughts on showing the footage. Unfortunately, there was no going back.

"Order!" Judge McCoy shouted. "The trial shall resume. I have made the decision that the video footage Barclay gave is admissible for trial."

"Thank you, your honor." Andy stood up and approached the judge, taking the flash drive back. The bailiff wheeled in a projector and screen, and as another guard dimmed the lights, Andy stuck the drive in, firing up the footage.


	9. Hostile Evidence

For the next three or so hours, everyone held their breath, as they watched the unexplainable happen on tape. A few parts were fast forwarded, but Andy made sure everyone saw the beginning, where Ian stuck the nanny cam inside the doll. Other parts, such as the camera sneaking around and catching Barb and Jill kissing, were glossed over, as it had nothing to do with the trial.

" _Chucky, I'm scared."_ Alice whimpered in the video, who had covered a blanket over herself and the doll. Seconds later, the jury heard a cold laugh coming from the footage, followed by the line " _You fucking should be."_ The moment that rough voice with the New Jersey accent filled the room, everyone, including the judge, seemed bewildered. At this point, the footage was no longer fast forwarded, and the rest played out.

" _They'll never find me in here, Chucky."_ Alice giggled, while she was hiding in the closet. " _This is the best game of hide and seek ever!"_

" _Just keep your fucking mouth shut!"_ That same voice snarled.

" _Chucky, stop cursing."_ Alice scolded, as a tiny hand entered the field of view and locked the closet door. The footage was hard to see, but Andy could make out a red and blue sleeve on the arm. For the rest of the video, everyone was subjected to footage of the actual murders, which showed what really happened.

" _Women. Can't live with them, period."_ That same cackle echoed across the courtroom, and some jurors had to avert their as when the footage revealed Jill's electrocution. Andy looked over towards the Chucky doll, and he noticed the doll's smallest of twitches.

"I got you now, you son of a bitch." Andy whispered, while the rest of the video was played.

" _You have your mother's eyes."_ A knife appeared and disappeared from frame. " _And they were always too fucking close together!"_ The knife came back into the footage, brutally gouging out Barb Pierce's eyeball. Further footage of the camera chasing Nica and killing Ian received the same reaction from the jury, until Nica was thrown off the balcony in the feed.

" _You're Charles Lee Ray."_ Nica accused.

" _My friends call me Chucky."_ The doll corrected, causing the jury to gasp.

" _But you're dead."_

" _No, you are."_

" _Why us?"_

" _Didn't your mother ever mention me? I'm an old friend of the family."_ The footage of the night didn't end until the camera was stuffed into an evidence bag by the police, but everyone sat in stunned silence.

"I believe we've all seen enough here." Andy declared, shutting the projector off. "The defense calls Alice Pierce back to the stand." Slowly, Alice left the bench and made it back to the witness stand, where Andy began to question the girl further.

"Alice, can you confirm that was you in the footage?" Andy asked. When Alice hesitated for too long, he added, "It's a simple yes or no question."

"Yes." Alice barely squeaked out.

"And who locked you in the closet during the video?" Andy asked. "Who was speaking to you when you were alone?"

"It was Chucky." Alice murmured, beginning to cry. "I don't want my friend to get in trouble." Andy's shoulders slumped, sighing sadly. He remembered when he first got Chucky as a present on his birthday, and he thought Chucky was his friend till the end. Even after the doll had thrown Maggie Peterson out of a window several stories up, Andy still believed Chucky was his friend.

"No further questions, your honor." Andy told the judge. "However, I have one last card I'm willing to play. And I'd like to request the witness stays on the stand for a little while longer."

"Very well, Mister Barclay." McCoy told Andy. "Although I believe you have given us undeniable proof the defendant did not murder her family."

"Well, that's the funny thing." Andy walked over to the evidence table and grabbed the doll by the hair. "I've heard a lot of crap in my lifetime. That someone tampered with the recorded lines. That the videos were doctored, or edited. So here's my smoking gun." Andy held the doll up for all the jury to see, before he whispered in its ear.

"Okay you bastard. Talk to me, or else I'm going to light you on fire." Andy muttered. When there was no response, he smirked, pulling out the lighter he took.

"Wait a minute." Captain Moran mumbled, fumbling in his jacket for his light, but couldn't find it. "Son of a bitch." Andy raised the doll even higher, as his other hand flicked the lighter on, and brought the flame just under the doll's hands.

"What are you doing!" Alice yelled. "Stop! Don't hurt him." Andy ignored Pierce, while Judge McCoy requested that she refrained from another outburst. Reluctantly, the girl stopped talking, but Nica could tell she wanted to help who she thought was her friend. Andy continued burning Chucky's hand, noticing the doll momentarily twitch or grit his teeth, and the fingers began to melt and look like an animal's claws. Finally, after two more minutes of constant burning, the killer doll cracked.

"AUGH, FUCK!" Chucky screamed, earning a gasp from the jury. The judge looked at the doll in horror and surprise, while Alice jumped out of her own skin from the obscenity. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! You son of a bitch! You fucking bastard!" Andy grinned, shutting off the lighter and chuckled to himself.

"Now do you believe me?" Andy asked, looking up at the judge and jury. Unfortunately, the moment Andy took his eyes off the doll, Chucky lashed out, kicking him in the face so hard, Barclay stumbed back and dropped the doll back on the table. While Chucky began cursing, he kicked Andy in the face again, who had forgotten the doll had the strength of a fully grown man, causing him to fall to the floor

"You little shit!" Chucky snarled, picking up the knife and throwing it at Nica. As the blade spun through the air, Nica closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable flash of pain. She was surprised, however, when she felt nothing, so Nica opened her eyes to find Officer Stanton lying on his back in front of her, with the knife lodged in his chest.

"No!" Nica gasped. At this point, the jurors began screaming, and everyone else in the courtroom was pushing past each other to get out as fast as they could. Chucky cackled a sinister laugh, and he grabbed the ax.

"You're next, Nica!" Chucky declared, jumping off the table. The doll was about to run, but felt himself being tripped, and he had to prop himself on one knee to make sure he didn't fall. Chucky looked behind him, seeing that Andy had grabbed his foot.

"Let the fuck go!" Chucky shouted, kicking Andy in the face again, before running right towards Nica. Pierce was terrified, she didn't have enough time to turn the wheelchair around and leave, and she, Andy, and Chucky knew it. Chucky grinned, raising the hatchet and anticipated the kill.

In a split second decision, Andy got up and approached the judge's bench, swiftly grabbing the gavel.

"Need to borrow this, your honor." Before Judge McCoy could protest, Andy turned around and threw the gavel, hitting Chucky right in the back of the head and causing him to fall flat on his face. The living doll groaned, while Andy slowly walked over there grabbed Chucky by the leg.

"Get off!" Chucky yelled, but Andy didn't listen. Instead, Barclay heaved his arm and threw the doll into the jury box, hearing a satisfying crack and the plastic head collided with the wood. Thankfully, no one was anywhere near the jury, and Andy took his time walking towards Chucky, pausing to pick up the gavel.

"What'll you do Andy? Kill me?" Chucky laughed, struggling to get up. "I'll just come back. I always come back!"

"Not this time." Andy answered in a harsh mutter, before swinging the gavel down on Chucky's face. Blood and teeth flew, and as yelled in pain, but Barclay reached out with his arm and pinned Chucky to the jury box, and he began wailing on the doll. With each strike of the gavel, more blood was drawn from the doll's body, but no one did anything; the people still in the courtroom watched in stunned silence, shocked at the events unfolding. Each time Andy struck, his mind flashed back to the lives Chucky had either taken or destroyed, including his own. Eventually, everything became a red haze, until a hand gently touched his shoulder, somehow forcing him to pause his merciless beatdown.

"Andy, stop." Andy turned his head, seeing the face of his wife. "He's already dead. You killed him." Kristen pointed to the floor, and Andy followed her gaze. Indeed, Chucky was already destroyed, Andy having struck the gavel so many times, the head was a bloody pulp, with only the body remaining. Andy exhaled heavily, before he walked back to the judge's bench.

"Here's your gavel back." Andy sighed, placing the blood stained gavel back on the bench. "Consider that my closing statement." Andy walked back over to the defense's table and sat next to Nica, where his hands began shaking from the blood. The judge, still horrified at what transpired, repeatedly opening and closing his mouth, but no words were heard. Finally, after several long moments, he found his voice.

"The court will be taking a mandatory recess." McCoy ordered, swinging the gavel down and causing several droplets of blood to fall onto the floor. "If nothing else, to clean this courtroom. The sentencing is just formal at this point." Nica was led away by a guard again, but not before Alice yelled something to her.

"Aunty Nica, I'm sorry!" the little girl cried out. "I'm so sorry that I believe you killed Mommy and Daddy!" Andy got up, about to join his wife outside, when he noticed one of the guards cleaning Chucky's remains and putting him in a plastic bag.

"Wait!" Andy shouted, striding to the guard. "Let me handle it."

"Why?" the guard asked, bewildered.

"Just trust me." Andy begged. "I'll make sure he doesn't come back this time." The guard looked at Barclay like he was crazy, and thinking back to what happened a minute ago, he probably was, but he just shrugged and gave him the bag. Smirking with satisfaction, Andy walked outside of the courtroom, where Kristen joined him in leaving. Along the way, Captain Moran ran into them.

"Mister Barclay-"

"Here's your lighter." Andy shoved the lighter into Moran's chest, who instinctively placed his palm over it. Without another word, the Barclay's left the courthouse, where they were instantly bombarded with questions by the news crews.

"Mister Barclay, was this your whole plan to reveal Chucky's existence?"

"Mister Barclay, can you comment on the fact you couldn't save Officer Stanton from dying?"

"Andy, are you positive that Nica Pierce will be declared innocent?"

"No comment." That was the usual response. If not from Andy himself, Kristen spoke for him. The two rushed past the media and cameras into their car, where Kristen began driving.

"Where to?" Kristen asked, looking towards her husband.

"Walmart." Andy replied. "It's time to end this for good."

Half an hour later, Andy and Kristen were back in the motel room, having just gotten back from the superstore. Andy had already set up a large steel pot, one of the items he purchased, in the middle of the floor, stuffing the bag full of Chucky's remains inside and dousing it with lighter fluid.

"Are you sure we won't get kicked out?" Kristen asked nervously, folding her arms.

"Hopefully." Andy murmured. "As long as it doesn't catch fire to anything else, we'll be fine." With that, Andy struck a match, and stole one last look at the plastic bag, before tossing the tiny flame into the pot. In an instant, the doll's remains erupted in fire, the air giving off a burning smell, and the flames cast shadows in the dimly lit room.

"And you're sure he won't come back from this?" Kristen asked. "No one will even try to purposefully bring him back?"

"No." Andy simply replied. "He always came back through means of his blood or parts of the body being in repairable condition. Once we're done here, all that will be left is a dust pile."

"And if someone tries to bring him back on purpose?" Kristen repeated.

"Barely anyone knows about Chucky, and fewer knew he was real." Andy explained. "The ones that did and helped him return are already dead. I did some digging, and his lover was murdered a few weeks ago, just days before he killed Nica's family. Her kids are gone too." Kristen didn't say anything else, and instead chose to stand next to Andy. Neither of them said a word, just watched, as what was left of killer doll slowly burned away into ashes.


	10. Epilogue Part 1: The Verdict

"Order! Order!"

Judge McCoy had to strike the gavel, now cleaned, three times, taking longer to reign in the jurors and everyone in the courtroom. Ever since the incident from the past hour, everyone was still talking about how a doll had leapt up and murdered an officer of the law. Andy looked around the room, noticing that the gore and body was thoroughly cleaned out, though there was still a light red stain on the floor in front of Nica.

"Is the prosecution prepared for a closing statement?" the judge asked. Andy scoffed. At this point, there was no sane person that could deny what had happened. DA Olsen gulped, looking nervously, and stood up.

"I… I can't, your honor." Olsen said truthfully. "We all saw what happened. I can't possibly make up a statement that would still condemn the defendant."

"Understood." McCoy announced. "Let the record show the prosecution's closing argument is a simple negative. Mister Barclay, your closing statement? A proper one, this time?" Andy took a deep breath, because he had secretly hoped he wouldn't have to. How could he form a closing argument to a debate he had already won? With his hands still shaking, Andy stood up and faced the jury.

"All I'm going to say is, I'm grateful you all beared with me through this." Andy spoke. "I know it's hard, believing in the impossible. Yet here we are, having witnessed something unfathomable take place in this very courtroom. This trial quickly went from proving Nica Pierce was innocent to proving that the Chucky myth was real. When it's come to things like this, too many people have paid a price. My own mother ended up in an asylum for telling the truth. Don't let Miss Pierce suffer the same fate." During the last sentence, Andy pointed back to Nica, empathizing what would have happened if she was found guilty. Barclay then went back to his seat, and the judge motioned for the jury's time to decide a verdict, meaning that Nica would have to leave the courtroom.

Nica was taken back to the room behind the courtroom, where Alice and her grandmother arrived moments later to greet her.

"Hi." Nica smiled weakly. Alice broke down, running towards her aunt and sobbing into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Aunty Nica." Alice cried. "I thought he was my friend…"

"Alice, it's alright." Nica comforted her niece. "You didn't know."

"He made me think you killed Mommy and Daddy too." Alice whimpered. "I'm so sorry…"

"I'm sorry too." Nica looked up, seeing Alice's grandma. "I thought you killed my son and Barb too. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"It's fine." Nica repeated. "Neither of you could have known it was Chucky."

"But I should've thought it through when he was cursing and saying we all die." Alice sobbed. "I just don't know what to do."

"Alice, look at me." Nica gently pushed her niece back, forcing her to look her in the eye. "You're stronger and smarter than you know. It's going to be okay."

"How do you know?" Alice whispered. Nica smiled, wiping away the little girl's tears.

"Because I don't let _this_ keep me from living my life." Nica gestured towards her wheelchair. "And you still have me and grandma to lean on." Alice smiled, and she moved in to hug her aunt. Just then, Andy barged into the room but stopped.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Barclay asked.

"Not at all." Nica replied. "What's going on?"

"Jury's reached a verdict." Andy announced.

"Is Aunty Nica going to jail?" Alice asked.

"After what just happened, it's a pretty slim chance." Andy grinned.

Andy, Nica, Alice, and her grandmother entered the courtroom, sitting in their appropriate seats, while the jury foreman walked into the center of the well area.

"Will the defendant's attorney please rise?" Andy did as instructed, and stood up from his chair. "Please publish the verdict."

"In the matter of 'The People v. Nica Pierce', on all five counts of murder, we find the defendant…" the head juror paused, looking at the slip of paper. "Not guilty." Almost everyone behind Andy and Nica sighed in relief, but not Alice. She stood up cheering.

"Members of the jury, the court thanks you for your service." McCoy told the jurors. "You're dismissed." Nica gasped in surprise and relief, and turned her wheelchair around in time just to catch Alice in giving her a bear hug.

"I love you, Aunty Nica." Alice whispered.

"I love you too." Nica said back. While the two kept their embrace, Andy put his arm around Kristen, before moving forward.

"I'd advise going out the back." Andy suggested. "Much less news and media out there, if at all." Nica smiled, and extended her hand to shake Barclay's, who gradually accepted.

"Thank you, Andy." Nica looked up at her lawyer. "Thank you for everything."

"It was my pleasure." Andy replied, before he and his wife turned around and left the courthouse.

Luckily, Andy's guess was right. There were no news reporters in the back, but it did mean they'd have to go around the courthouse to reach Grandma's car.

"Where should we stop at first?" Alice's grandmother asked.

"Home." Nica answered. "It's the only thing sensible right now." Alice nodded in agreement, and the three made their way to the car. Right as Nica was helped into her seat, she looked back at the courthouse, just in time to see Andy and Kristen descend the steps. Pierce smiled and waved, and Andy gave a small nod, making sure to not redirect the reporters' attention. Nica then shut the door, and the car left the courthouse, making its way back to the Pierce residence.

Andy and Kristen continued to walk down the steps, seeing Nica and the rest of her family just leaving, while reporters continuously asked them questions.

"Mister Barclay, what are you going to do now that you proved Nica's innocence?"

"Andy, were you always planning on proving Chucky was real?"

"All I'm going to say is that I proved someone's innocence, and in the process, confirmed a myth." Andy said into a microphone. "I also destroyed a monster that's been in my head for twenty five years. That's good enough for me." Reporters kept trying to ask new questions, but they were met with the same "No comment". Andy and Kristen finally made it to their car, and Kristen began driving.

"Where to?" Andy's wife asked.

"Local bar." Andy mumbled. "I need a fucking drink."

Andy found himself sitting at the bar with his wife, downing a glass of scotch, while watching the television

" _Shocking news today, as the trial of Nica Pierce took an interesting turn."_ The reporter informed. " _Andy Barclay, who has been involved in three different homicides from the 80s and 90s, proved in court that his claims of a Chucky doll being alive was all true, when he lit the doll on fire in the middle of the courtroom."_ Video footage was shown of the doll screaming and yelling obscenities. Yes, the swear words were censored, but no one could deny that it was really a children's toy, come to life.

"Well, now everyone knows." Kristen mused, drinking her own liquor. "And Chucky's gone for good."

"I'm just glad no one had to be locked up the same way my mom was." Andy mumbled, before grabbing another shot of alcohol and knocking it back like it was only water. With the doll gone, Andy no longer had to look over his shoulder, and he finally felt free.


	11. Epilogue Part 2: Happy Endings

Over the next twenty four hours, nearly everyone in Rhode Island, and even in the country, had witnessed Nica Pierce's trial unfold on television. The verdict and story that followed after created a ripple effect, where certain individuals' lives were changed for the better…

 _Chicago_

Karen Barclay sat in a chair in the hospital's recreational room, watching the television show images of Nica Pierce, Chucky, and of course, her son. She could barely hear what the reporters were saying, but before she could even pay attention to the small box, an orderly stepped in front of her.

"Hi Karen." the man greeted. "I'm guessing you've seen the news?" Karen looked up and slowly nodded. "Well, it turns out you were right about the doll. If you want, you can fill out the necessary paperwork and leave her." Karen couldn't believe what she was hearing, and she began crying tears of joy.

"Oh God." Karen sobbed. "Thank you, Andy. Thank you." The orderly helped the older lady up, where the two went to the main office and filled out the required papers. Before she knew it, Karen stood outside, confidently walking away from the institution, realizing that people finally believed in her stories of a killer doll attacking her son. Karen held her head high, continuing to walk down the streets of Chicago, and never looked back.

 _Chicago Police Department_

Mike Norris sat in the department's commissioner office, drinking a mug of coffee. After a recent crime wave, he was just about ready to retire early.

"Holy shit!" Mike heard his old friend and partner Jack Santos yell, and saw him barge into the commissioner's office. "Mikey, you gotta see this!" Before Mike could even open his mouth, Jack grabbed the remote and turned the TV on and flipped it to the news channel.

" _In a recent trial coming all the way from Rhode Island, Nica Pierce has been found innocent of the murders of her entire family."_ a reporter informed. " _Her lawyer, Chicago's own Andy Barclay, proved her innocence when he revealed that the Good Guy doll was really alive, by lighting the toy on fire."_ The news switched over to footage showing Andy setting fire to the doll, with it screaming at the top of its lungs.

"Guess they'd finally believe us now." Jack told Norris.

"Holy shit, he did it." Mike murmured, setting his coffee. "Not bad, Andy. Not bad."

 _Boston_

Andy's former foster sister, Kyle, found herself in a bar, absently downing shots of whiskey, when she saw the television flash a photo of Andy and the Chucky doll.

"Hey Ray, turn that up, will ya?" Kyle asked. The bartender, Ray, nodded, and increased the volume, to the point where she could hear what was going on.

" _It was in this moment that the doll, now known by all as Chucky, was revealed to be Charles Lee Ray, believed to have been dead for twenty five years."_ the reporter continued. " _Before trial, officers were sent to Hackensack, New Jersey, to exhume Ray's grave…"_

"Well, how about that. You did it, Andy." Kyle smiled. "Ray, another!"

 _Kent Academy_

Colonel Ronald Tyler sat in the chair that once belonged to Colonel Cochran, smoking a cuban cigar. It had been a long week, between getting new cadets and sending graduates off. Tyler sighed, checking his watch, and turned on his television, where the news was playing.

" _It was confirmed that Charles Lee Ray's body was indeed buried, confirming the Lakeshore Strangler as being dead."_ the news blared throughout the room. " _However, that was called into question when the doll came alive in the courtroom and attacked the defendant…"_ Realizing what was going on, Tyler smiled.

"Well played, Barclay. Well played."

 _New Jersey_

Jesse and Jade Miller had just come home from their work, and decided to relax for the moment. While Jade went to get themselves a couple beers, Jesse turned the television on, flipping through the channels. He finally stopped, however, when he saw Chucky's scarred face flash on the screen.

"God damn." Jesse exclaimed. "Honey, come out here, quick!"

"What's going on?" Jade asked, handing her husband a cold one.

"Just listen." Jesse instructed, turning up the volume.

" _When Chucky threw a knife at Pierce, however, Officer Adam Stanton jumped in front of her, allowing the deadly weapon to impale his heart."_ the reporter read off a sheet of paper. " _Afterwards, Andy Barclay grabbed the judge's gavel and began brutally beating the doll to death…"_ On the screen flashed images of Chucky's body, with the area around his head being blurred.

"I didn't think this would ever happen." Jade gasped.

"Me neither." Jesse commented, taking a swig of beer. "But thank God people believe that he's real now."

 _Rhode Island_

" _Barclay, of course, had made the same claims when he was a boy in 1988, though back then, he had never shown proof-"_ Andy turned the television off, surprising Kristen.

"That's enough of that." Andy declared, and he resumed his packing. "My work's done here."

"You sure you don't want to stay for a while?" Kristen asked, hopeful.

"What else is there to do here?" Andy asked glumly.

"Well, we _might_ have been invited to dinner… by the Pierce family." Kristen explained. Andy stopped packing for a moment, staring at his wife.

"How'd they get into contact with you?" Barclay asked, confused.

"They didn't, Nica was trying to call you with the number you gave her." Kristen told him. "You were just asleep at the time."

"And you want to go?" Andy asked his wife. Kristen smiled and nodded. Andy sighed, checking his watch.

"Ah, what the Hell." Andy shrugged. "We can always hop on a flight tomorrow."

 _Pierce Residence_

" _...When Barclay first claimed his doll was alive, in the year 1988, his mother stood by him. However, Karen Barclay was quickly deemed insane and sent to a mental institution-"_ Nica turned the TV off, while she went to the kitchen to finish working on dinner.

"I'm a bit surprised we're still having this." Alice commented, walking into the kitchen and noticing the chili.

"The food didn't kill Frank. Chucky did." Nica replied, adding oregano to the food. Just when dinner was ready, Nica and Alice heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Alice exclaimed cheerfully, running out of the kitchen and opening the door. Standing on the doorstep were Andy and Kristen Barclay, wearing casual clothes, as opposed to the suit and dress from court.

"Hey, Alice-" Andy was interrupted when Alice lunged forward, hugging Barclay's leg. Andy smirked to himself, before bending over so the girl could properly hug him.

"Thank you, Mister Barclay." Alice told Andy. "Thank you for everything."

"I was more than happy to help." Andy replied, hugging her back. "And you can call me Andy if you'd like." After a few more seconds, Alice finally let go, and the three began walking through the house.

"Come on, Aunty Nica's just done!" Alice announced, and Nica met everyone in the dining room.

"You didn't have to invite us for dinner." Andy told Nica politely.

"Hey, it's the least I could do, since you made sure I wouldn't be sent to prison, or worse." Nica pointed out. Andy and Kristen looked each other and shrugged, before sitting down. Suddenly, Andy's phone rang, and he sheepishly took it out.

"I'm sorry, I have to take this." Andy told Nica apologetically, before leaving the dining room. "Hello?"

"Andy?" a female voice asked. Andy gulped, hearing his mother's voice on the line.

"Mom?" Andy's voice cracked. "how are you?"

"I'm fine. The doctors just let me out." Karen informed. "They saw what happened on the news."

"It got by that fast?" Andy asked, confused.

"Yes. I'm no longer declared insane!" Karen said happily. "Thank you, Andy. you proved to everyone that we were right."

"I love you Mom." Andy told Karen, and after a few more minutes of talking, Andy hung up and rejoined his wife at the dinner table.

Once dinner was over, everyone went to the living room to chat with each other. While Nica and Kristen got into a lengthy conversation about hobbies like cooking, Alice began talking with Andy.

"Thank you again for helping my Aunty Nica." Alice said.

"As I told you before, I was more than happy." Andy replied, sitting on the couch. "What will you do now?"

"What is there to do?" Alice asked. "Go back to school, where I'll be made fun of?"

"Hey, don't listen to them." Andy said in a comforting tone. "I had to face a lot of ridicule for what I claimed. I pulled through it. You can too." Alice looked Andy in the eye, smiling.

"Can you tell me all that happened with you and Chucky?" Alice asked.

"Are you sure you'd want to know?" Andy inquired. "You did think he was your friend."

"I saw him kill someone yesterday." Alice reminded Barclay. "I could look up your story like Aunty Nica did, but I want to hear it from you." Andy looked back at his wife and Nica, who were still talking, then looked back at the girl.

"Sure." Andy decided, motioning for Alice to sit down next to him. "Might wanna grab a seat, it's a pretty long story."

 _The End_


End file.
